Designers from London are making beautiful lamps from an unlikely source: old cabbage leaves. The beauty of a cabbage leaf might not be obvious to everyone, but when it’s dried, molded, and coated with non-toxic chemicals, it really starts to shine.
The organic lamp, called “Veggie Lights,” features a delicate layer of cabbage leaves that top a thin gold stem and sturdy, cylindrical base. Designer Vaidehi Thakker makes the shade by drying cabbage leaves until all the moisture is evaporated, and then uses a mold that mimics the shapes of the original red cabbage leaf.
After that, the leaf is doused with a water-based, sustainable coating. The resulting lampshade is so delicate you can see the veins and crinkles of the leaves as the light shines through.
As you might imagine, the shades will not last forever. Like any organic matter, they’ll morph and change and eventually, if slowly, decompose. But at least they’ll be beautiful while they last.
